White Sox Slugger Adam LaRoche Retires After Team Tells Him to Stop Bringing Son to Clubhouse

You always hear athletes say they’re retiring to spend more time with their families, but no one has meant it as much as Adam LaRoche.

The Chicago White Sox first baseman-designated hitter, 36, announced his retirement on Wednesday after the team told him to stop bringing his 14-year-old son, Drake, to the clubhouse so much.

LaRoche's decision to hang up his spikes means he will not receive the $13 million he's owed on the last year of his two-year contract.

White Sox president Kenny Williams (see above), who spoke highly of Drake, explained what it is the team wanted from LaRoche, who barely hit over .200 while blasting 12 home runs last season.

All I asked him to do is dial it back, that was it. Simply you have to make a decision from management perspective, or an organization at large. We went into this season saying to ourselves, 'We going to commit and focus and not leave any stone unturned.' I decided to cut it back, it was not eliminated. I reiterated that to him and the team yesterday. Tell me where in America can you bring your child to work every day?"

Drake had been known to be a major presence around the White Sox, even traveling with the team and having his mother coordinate his school work so he could travel with his dad, certainly an unusual arrangement for a child

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal also explained what had transpired:

Meanwhile, LaRoche's controversial decision has caused some to debate whether what he did was right or wrong, with some personalities from the world of sports chiming in: